Summer of the bike: eight cyclists who ride in style

Remember those “I survived Toronto” T-shirts from summer 2003? The checklist on them read: SARS, West Nile, Mad Cow, SARS again. The 2009 tee would be less lethal but more depressing: rain, recession, trash, tornadoes, more rain.

But Torontonians took it in stride. When it poured, we crammed into the slew of fantastic new cafés. When the sun finally shone, it wasn’t just kids spread-eagled on the grass in Trinity-Bellwoods. Dinner parties were an excuse to plow through stockpiled LCBO bottles, and with ferry service to the Island on pause, everyone suddenly remembered the Beach. The Rolling Stones didn’t need to bail the city out this time. We did it ourselves.

With a new DIY attitude came one crucial summer accessory: the bicycle. Cheaper than driving and more individual than a new pair of jeans, it seemed like everyone from Bay Street’s suits to bespectacled Queen Westers to new moms in Leslieville was sporting two wheels. Whatever the style, there was a bike to match. Here, a look at eight Toronto cyclists who did it with aplomb.

Who: Dennis Vanhoekelen<br /> Spotted: Queen and University<br /> Vanhoekelen, a bike messenger, got his 1983 Miyata frame for free from an ex-racer, then spent $1,000 on touch-ups and accessories. Pink ones. Another bike polo player, Vanhoekelen is a member of the Westside Maniacs, arguably Toronto’s most dedicated team. “We’re serious. We rank,” says Vanhoekelen. The whole conversation would have been more intimidating if we weren’t so distracted by the photos of his adorable daughter pasted onto his disc wheels.

Who: Vanessa Jackson<br /> Where: Dundas and Manning<br /> Jackson uses her copper CCM Sunsport to commute between her Dundas and Ossington pad and her pad Thai–shilling job at the Queen Mother Café. “Penny” has been a trusty companion ever since Jackson found her on Craigslist, except for when a bunch of axe-wielding neighbourhood kids hacked off the front reflector. So much for Ossington becoming too gentrified.

Who: Libydo <br /> Spotted: Dundas and Montrose<br /> Libydo, a dancer, doesn’t use his Specialized BMX racer for tricks. “I just ride really, really fast,” he says. This is his sixth BMX—the previous five were stolen. He can’t be sure, but Libydo suspects a certain infamous bicycle thief was behind at least some of the disappearances. These days, he uses an extra-strong lock.

Who: Vanessa Fischer<br /> Spotted: Trinity-Bellwoods Park<br /> Fischer paid $140 for her baby blue Glider at super-sketchy Uncle Jacob’s at College and Spadina. Is her bike an accessory? “No, it’s a mode of transportation,” she says. “I like fashion, but not that much.”

Who: Sophie Lambert<br /> Spotted: Queen and Yonge <br /> Lambert bikes in heels from her Bathurst and Harbord home to her marketing gig at King and Yonge. “It’s totally easy,” she says. The Club Monaco pencil skirt is another story. “It is a bit of a balancing act. I do have to hike it up a bit.” The label-free low-rider, which matches the three-inch Marc by Marc Jacobs pumps, was $700 from Urbane Cyclist on John Street.

Who: Keith Jones<br /> Where: Trinity-Bellwoods Park<br /> Jones found this Quebec-made 1982 Velosport on Craigslist and immediately scrubbed off all the logos. “I didn’t like the font,” he says. He considered it a steal for $300, because it has the highest-grade Shimano parts available when it was made, and the wheels are a rare size not made anymore. The bike has already seen some major action with its new owner. Jones biked to Montreal over three days in August. This is Jones’ summer bike; his winter ride is made by Workmans, a New York company that designs sturdy, low-gravity delivery bicycles with a smaller front wheel to accommodate a basket big enough for pizza boxes.

Who: Kumalo Nio<br /> Where: College and Bay<br /> Nio noticed that this hyper-designed Batavus bike was all the rage when she visited Amsterdam, so when she found one at Curbside Cycle in the Annex, she scooped it up for $700. A pedal-powered generator illuminates the front light; the bike also has a built-in wheel lock. But Nio mainly likes “Green Eggs” because it’s clothing-friendly: she can wear dresses and skirts while riding, and her tennis bag fits in the back basket.

Who: Feleepe (No last name. “It’s just Feleepe”) <br /> Spotted: Kensington Market<br /> This gussied-up Belgian track frame, nicknamed “Silberblitz,” is more than just eye candy—it’s also Feleepe’s mount for bike polo. This ride cost $1,500 to assemble, including the homemade metal saddle. A carpenter-cabinetmaker by day, German-born Feleepe cut the seat out of a sheet of 18-gauge stainless steel. He insists his design is comfy, though “not so much for women.”